If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Threaded View

Heat meet with Derek Fisher

MIAMI (AP)—Derek Fisher(notes) might be why Miami’s new trio of superstars left money on the table.

Fisher met Saturday with Heat president Pat Riley, one day after the team lavishly introduced LeBron James(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) as Dwyane Wade’s(notes) newest teammates. James, Bosh and Wade all will make less than the $16.6 million they could have commanded next season, giving Miami the chance to lure other players.

Riley declined comment Saturday.

Fisher has been part of all five Los Angeles Lakers championships in the Kobe Bryant(notes) era. After the Lakers won their second straight title last month, Fisher said he would return to Los Angeles, and Bryant insisted he wouldn’t allow Fisher to play anywhere else.

But after Fisher reportedly received a $2.5 million offer for next season from Los Angeles, he listened to other possibilities, including the chance to play in Miami, which had enough cap room to not only keep Wade and add James and Bosh, but could lure a slew of other talented players as well.

“It’s about sacrifice now,” Wade said.

James, Bosh and Wade all signed six-year contracts. The value of James and Bosh’s deals is nearly $111 million, while Wade took around $107 million. They could have received about $125.5 million apiece if they had taken the maximum value allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement.

“What we signed for is not important,” James said Friday night at Miami’s welcome celebration. “One thing that is important is we all sacrificed money, sacrificed a lot of things to be a part of this. But what we signed for is not important. What we’re going to do this coming fall is what’s most important.”

Fisher averaged 7.5 points and 2.5 assists while starting all 82 regular-season games last season. In the playoffs, he averaged 10.3 points and 2.8 assists, again the starter for all 23 postseason contests.

Wade, James and Bosh all have given names to Riley of various players they would like to see join the Heat. Miami is closing in on a deal with Mike Miller(notes) and expects to keep Udonis Haslem(notes), who has more lucrative offers from other clubs but wants to remain in South Florida—his lifelong home.

“He’s been a part of this with me for seven years. … We want Udonis back and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure Udonis stays home,” Wade said Friday night.

Riley said Friday that there “might be some good news” about Haslem’s status with the Heat in the coming days.

Nonetheless, now with only four players—James, Wade, Bosh and Mario Chalmers(notes)—under contract, the work continues to fill out Miami’s roster.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Saturday that Miami has had contact with forward Juwan Howard(notes). Other free agents who are known to have expressed interest in Miami include Raja Bell(notes), Chris Quinn(notes), Quentin Richardson(notes) and Jamaal Magloire(notes), and the Heat still have the rights to restricted center Joel Anthony(notes).

Dorell Wright(notes) is moving on, however. The swingman who spent his first six seasons in Miami agreed in principle to a three-year deal Saturday with Golden State, returning to his native California.

Wade said after Miami’s season ended in May that he hoped Wright—one of his closest friends—would return to Miami. But on his Twitter feed late Saturday night, Wade offered congratulations, saying “I’m a proud big bro.”